PRS Talk Youth PRS build, caliber?

[tbeck]

Im looking for some advice. My son who is only 10 is getting into PRS, he has shot a few .22 matches and does pretty well. Id like to move him into centre fire. Just more matches we can shoot together.
For his first build I need to chose a caliber. I dont really want to go custom on his first bid, just want something affordable so he can get some rounds in.
Since I have to stay production, I'm thinking 223 or 243. Like the light recoil for 223, but we shoot out west where the wind is blowing at most matches. dont want to put him at to much of a disadvantage with the 223.
Any suggestion?

 

[BoilerUP]

Bergara HMR in 6mm Creedmoor would be a good choice IMO.

Tikka T3x CTR or Varmint with 24" 1:8 223 barrel would be a good option in a poodle shooter, I'd rock the new pointed 80 SMKs or 75 ELD-Ms.

 

[missed]

My daughter has a 6x47. We're in Texas also. If your in production, the 243 is going to be much more forgiving in the wind. The 223 is nice to start with less recoil, if you can find a fast twist and shoot heavier bullets in the 223 it's gonna be close, and the barrel will last a very long time.

 

[Long Range 338]

224 Valkyrie fits the bill nicely

 

[Superx]

Don’t push him to CF. Keeping shooting RF as the basic principals apply just as well. He will tell you when it’s time to go bigger. Let him practice with your CF. He’s only 10. Don’t push, encourage.

 

[bschneiderheinze]

My son starting shooting PRS at 13 but he is really small he was probably 80 pounds when he started. He has used a origin with a 6br and area 419 break. Very low recoil. We started out with a KRG bravo for weight and now he shoots a with a PRS1 and is switching to 6brx next year

 

[Jefe's Dope]

6 Creedmoor. Even 6.5 Creedmoor is better than an AR15 in .223 w/ a buffer tube. Well, maybe not quite the soft, but close. If it were me, I'd go 6 Creedmoor.

 

[Jefe's Dope]

Don’t push him to CF. Keeping shooting RF as the basic principals apply just as well. He will tell you when it’s time to go bigger. Let him practice with your CF. He’s only 10. Don’t push, encourage.

I'd say focus on .22lr matches for fundamentals and rimfire to show how .22lr is actually improving his fundamentals. I believe .22lr PRS/long range is far more difficult than rimfire.

 

[mkelly]

6 creedmoor

 

[1moaoff]

223
224v
Maybe a light 6mm, I wouldn't do a 6 creed or anything like it unless its run light and slow.

I wish there was 22 tac matches here? then I wouldn't need my real rifles... just kidding

 

[MTETM]

My girls started at 7 and 8. They both shoot many steel matches every year. One shoots a heavy 223 and will not change because she hates recoil. The other shooters a 22BR.
We are in Eastern MT. The wind always blows. A 223 shooting 75's, 77's or 80's works great.
I would strongly suggest you fit a rifle to the shooter and make damn sure there isn't any recoil. You will ruin their shooting with any. I have watched several folks give their kids 6mm's of some sort thinking there isn't recoil.... till the kid flinches so badly they can't hit anything. As a Dad, teach them fundamentals with zero recoil and don't stress the cool points.
We also mandate they shoot with a can and ears. The noise from a break is harsh and hard on ears, plus young and old folks can develop a flinch from the concussion/sound.
The difference in recoil is not worth my kids long term hearing.

They both shoot 6XC to hunt, but not for a steel match or practice.
Just my opinion...

 

[stello1001]

224V
6BRA

 

[Geno C.]

One of the biggest things I’ve dealt with for a kid shooting a steel match that requires a lot of movement, is rifle weight. A 15-20lb rifle is a hell of a lot of weight for a 10 year old to handle.

My boys started shooting early and my oldest shot his first match at 8. It was a mostly prone match. My youngest will be 8 this year and will probably do the same. At soon to be 13 my oldest can handle the rifle a lot better, with a lot less struggle. Both of their first cf rifles were 22-250ai. Oldest had been on a 6.5-47 shooting 120gr bullets for a little over a year now.

 

[11bar]

223 ackley
80gr eldm
3000fps
26” Wilson barrel
Trued Remington 700
Really been an awesome combo for my wife who is 110lbs 5’ tall basically child size

 

[codym]

223 or 6br. My wife and daughters shoot a 6 br in an xlr carbon chassis, origin action and a hell fire brake. It’s a pleasure to shoot very very little recoil and ridiculously accurate. 105 Berger’s going 2850. I was running a 243 match on my Bighorn TL3 with 115 dtacs at 3k a little more recoil ( nothing bad at all but definitely more than the br) and wasn’t making up much. I will be going to a dasher in my next barrel but the straight br is pretty freakin sweet.

 

[Danrobberg]

I was going to to a br for my son but went with the dasher instead because I already had dies and brass. I did have his barrel cut to 20 inches to save some weight. I have a bighorn tl3 and got him a manners compact stock 2.0. Very very happy with the set up. I’ve taken him to two 2 day prs matches with me and had him shoot on the train up day. Altus and k and m so there were plenty of props for him to shoot off of. I plan on doing the same this year and having him shoot the local 1 day matches with me. They are real laid back so I will help him dial and get into position and make corrections while on the clock. He’s going to learn not compete at this point.

 

[Sticks]

6.5 Grendel. Little recoil, better BC. My Girlfriend and her two daughters are good out to 800y with them.